Clement: in the military, the narrator's brother, possibly deceased, dependent
Leo: store owner, one of four men in the town, unhygienic, distant, war veteran. Unmarried despite abundance of women.
Jal/Joe: one of the "enemies", alone, possible killer, crossbow-savvy, not handsome yet desirable, still carries on the war because of his oath to serve for life.
Locations - (include physical details, climate, general descriptions)
-The town is located on mountains somewhere in the US, near the John Muir Wilderness (Sierra Nevada mountain range). It is hot, dry, and does not get cold. The townspeople must rely on crude irrigation ditches that go through a few different areas of the town. There are patches of gardens and some livestock. The townspeople seem to live in houses that were from before the collapse of society. The original town has been abandoned and the town's people have moved to higher ground.
World Details: Class system and roles:
The lowest class of people, to the townspeople anyway, are the crazies that live in the higher areas of the mountains. It appears that the townspeople are more rural, and nobody cared about them when society collapsed. Perhaps they are seen as a lower class of people to others, and this is why they weren't bothered that much. Some soldiers continue to fight.
Climate: extremely hot (110 degrees on a mountain in winter), dry, and dusty. Sandstorms and dust devils are common. The higher up the mountain, the cooler it gets. It is implied that the world has gone through intense global warming.
Economic system: A barter system augmented by the town's committee which seems to have a hand in connecting people with the goods that they need.
Educational system: The town's elderly nurses conduct an informal training/apprenticeship program. No formal educational system is mentioned.
Factions: villagers, Paiute tribe, crazies, soldiers, terrorists (the last three are very difficult to tell apart).
Gender roles: Women run society. Most men have gone to war and if they did return in the area they become insane crazy hermits further up in the mountains.
Before the war, it is implied that men were expected to be soldiers. While women did go to war along with them, they seem to have enlisted in smaller numbers. Now, with the vast majority of men gone, women run all aspects of society.
General culture (food, music, past times, art):
Food: Little-bird soup, rat stew, locally grown produce, dogs (pets). Cannibalism is implied but not stated outright.
Matriarchal society with crafts and trading and town gatherings.
Groups were separated during the war, with no attempt at contact. Life outside the settlement is a total mystery.
Healthcare: Only small hand-full of people that have medical experience. Old nurses train other townspeople in medical practices. Medicine supplies have almost completely run out and any medicine left is based on herbs.
History: Society collapsed after a war for oil hit American soil. Many people joined the fight and therefore died. People were left without the necessities they had once thrived on. The war was a lengthy conflict against an unknown or hidden enemy and seems to have inspired mistrust toward virtually everyone; some former soldiers (on either side) apparently still carry on the war, viewing most or all other people as "the enemy". The war took all of the oil, and ruins were left. There is no longer electricity or running water. The town original town was moved from at the bottom of the mountain to the newly created one further up.
Language: English
Law and justice: A committee seems to be used to conference about topics. The honor system also seems to be in place.
Political system: A directly democratic committee is responsible for arranging collective agreements and organizing the town.
Population size: Four men in the town, perhaps a couple hundred women.
Races and race relations: Informal trade and medical assistance alliance with the Paiutes. People of olive skin were sent to internment camps, since escaped. The enemy has brown skin. Presumably people from middle eastern or of that decent.
Sexual roles: Its implied that the women of the town are sub-consciously wanting to have men around and to marry one of them. Because men were largely affected by the war - either being killed or becoming a "crazy" - they are largely outnumbered by women. This leads to strong sexual tension between men and women.
Technology: Before war, petroleum technology was heavily relied on. Gas is running out, however, and technology is man-powered. Necessary products, such as socks, are made by hand, while food is produced using primitive methods. Animal husbandry is not being worked on in this settlement, as there were no animals to breed when the group moved during the war. There has been a total communication break down between groups.
Transportation:Walking, there is no longer oil for vehicles
Weapons: Crossbow, knives, pepper. Implied that guns are no longer in widespread use due to ammunition shortages.
Characters - (including traits, skills, dispositions, personal histories, etc.)
Locations - (include physical details, climate, general descriptions)
-The town is located on mountains somewhere in the US, near the John Muir Wilderness (Sierra Nevada mountain range). It is hot, dry, and does not get cold. The townspeople must rely on crude irrigation ditches that go through a few different areas of the town. There are patches of gardens and some livestock. The townspeople seem to live in houses that were from before the collapse of society. The original town has been abandoned and the town's people have moved to higher ground.
World Details:
Class system and roles:
The lowest class of people, to the townspeople anyway, are the crazies that live in the higher areas of the mountains. It appears that the townspeople are more rural, and nobody cared about them when society collapsed. Perhaps they are seen as a lower class of people to others, and this is why they weren't bothered that much. Some soldiers continue to fight.
Climate: extremely hot (110 degrees on a mountain in winter), dry, and dusty. Sandstorms and dust devils are common. The higher up the mountain, the cooler it gets. It is implied that the world has gone through intense global warming.
Economic system: A barter system augmented by the town's committee which seems to have a hand in connecting people with the goods that they need.
Educational system: The town's elderly nurses conduct an informal training/apprenticeship program. No formal educational system is mentioned.
Factions: villagers, Paiute tribe, crazies, soldiers, terrorists (the last three are very difficult to tell apart).
Gender roles: Women run society. Most men have gone to war and if they did return in the area they become insane crazy hermits further up in the mountains.
Before the war, it is implied that men were expected to be soldiers. While women did go to war along with them, they seem to have enlisted in smaller numbers. Now, with the vast majority of men gone, women run all aspects of society.
General culture (food, music, past times, art):
Healthcare: Only small hand-full of people that have medical experience. Old nurses train other townspeople in medical practices. Medicine supplies have almost completely run out and any medicine left is based on herbs.
History: Society collapsed after a war for oil hit American soil. Many people joined the fight and therefore died. People were left without the necessities they had once thrived on. The war was a lengthy conflict against an unknown or hidden enemy and seems to have inspired mistrust toward virtually everyone; some former soldiers (on either side) apparently still carry on the war, viewing most or all other people as "the enemy". The war took all of the oil, and ruins were left. There is no longer electricity or running water. The town original town was moved from at the bottom of the mountain to the newly created one further up.
Language: English
Law and justice: A committee seems to be used to conference about topics. The honor system also seems to be in place.
Political system: A directly democratic committee is responsible for arranging collective agreements and organizing the town.
Population size: Four men in the town, perhaps a couple hundred women.
Professions: subsistence farmer, soldier/terrorist/crazy, hunter/trapper, storekeeper, nurse.
Races and race relations: Informal trade and medical assistance alliance with the Paiutes. People of olive skin were sent to internment camps, since escaped. The enemy has brown skin. Presumably people from middle eastern or of that decent.
Religions: N/A
Setting (city, country, space, mix): Country, mountain landscape
Sexual roles: Its implied that the women of the town are sub-consciously wanting to have men around and to marry one of them. Because men were largely affected by the war - either being killed or becoming a "crazy" - they are largely outnumbered by women. This leads to strong sexual tension between men and women.
Technology: Before war, petroleum technology was heavily relied on. Gas is running out, however, and technology is man-powered. Necessary products, such as socks, are made by hand, while food is produced using primitive methods. Animal husbandry is not being worked on in this settlement, as there were no animals to breed when the group moved during the war. There has been a total communication break down between groups.
Transportation:Walking, there is no longer oil for vehicles
Weapons: Crossbow, knives, pepper. Implied that guns are no longer in widespread use due to ammunition shortages.